Some people think PostgreSQL 8.0 is just a backend database for Web sites. They're as well informed as people who think the moon is made of cheese, according to Robert Treat and Jason Gilmore, co-authors of Apress' Beginning PHP and PostgreSQL 8: From Novice to Professional. In many situations, the authors say, the PostgreSQL open source database management system (DBMS) can be used instead of, or as a complement to, MySQL, Oracle, Microsoft and other enterprise databases. In this interview, Treat and Gilmore explain how and when PostgreSQL can be used in enterprise environments, as well as why end users have more control with this open source DBMS. What sets PostgreSQL apart from other databases? Robert Treat: As all DBMS make an attempt at implementing both the relational model and the SQL standards, there are certainly a number of similarities between PostgreSQL and all of the other database systems available. Over the years, the key differentiators I found are the structure of the PostgreSQL project, the community around it and its BSD licensing. Every other major database player has a single controlling company behind it, whether it be a database vendor like Oracle, a technology conglomerate like IBM or Microsoft or even an open source system like MySQL and Ingres. Because of this arrangement, PostgreSQL is the only database system that can offer you a full range of quality support companies, the ability to integrate PostgreSQL into proprietary systems without fee and a transparent process for getting your features added to the next release. This puts you, the end user, firmly in control of your database technology. Is PostgreSQL a one-trick pony, suitable only for Web apps? Jason Gilmore: Those unfamiliar with PostgreSQL tend to perceive it, like MySQL, as a database used primarily as a backend for Web sites. No doubt, there is a significant user base relying on PostgreSQL for this purpose, however its applications are much more wide-reaching. One of the highest-profile instances of PostgreSQL's capability is the registry service provider Afilias, which relies on PostgreSQL to power both the .ORG and .INFO domain databases. As the .ORG and .INFO top level domains (TLDs) collectively account for roughly 9% of total registered domains --according to the Verisign Domain Report of August, 2005 -- we're talking about a rather significant data store, not to mention one that simply must adhere to the highest standards of reliability. What are some other examples of PostgreSQL's capabilities? Gilmore: Another interesting PostgreSQL implementation is Apple's Remote Desktop 2, which gathers diagnostic information about Macs deployed on a network, making it available for retrieval through any number of clients, be it the psql command-line tool, through a website or through a desktop application. But of course, given the focus of our book, I wouldn't feel right not including a great example of a PHP- and PostgreSQL-driven website, Radio Paradise. [It's] an Internet-only radio station boasting over 29,372 users and streaming a large database of diverse music. A client of PostgreSQL services and consulting provider Command Prompt, Inc., the station is presently enjoying a great deal of success, with almost 9,000 listeners presently streaming music.................... **************** ***************************** Kiggundu Mukasa # Computer Network Consultancy### KYM-NET LTD. # Intranets & Internet Solutions# Plot 80 Kanjokya Street P.O. Box 24284 Kampala, Uganda Tel: +256 77 972255 +256 71 221141 Fax: +256 31 262122 ***************************************************************** |
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